Phoebe nurse/breast cancer patient pushes wellness care ahead of women’s health clinic

ALBANY — During the busy year-plus of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital workers have worked long hours. Some have even have delayed care for themselves because they were busy caring for others.

For one Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital nurse, keeping her annual mammogram appointment this year was important, and may have vastly improved her chance for successful treatment.

Anza Richardson got her diagnosis — breast cancer — in April. Richardson, nurse manager of the hospital’s surgical unit, has had abnormal mammogram results in the past that turned out not to be cancer, but this time was different.

“This year, when it was abnormal and I had to have a biopsy, I thought it would be like those other times,” she said. “I tell people that is the most disappointing diagnosis you can get.

“We did catch it very, very early. They did tell me if I had delayed or didn’t have a mammogram … waiting six months it could have been Stage 2 or 3.”

Richardson, who said some of her colleagues have put off health exams due to their hectic schedules during the pandemic, will be on hand on Saturday for a drive-through women’s health clinic. Several other nurses currently are undergoing treatment for breast cancer along with Richardson, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatments that will be followed with radiation therapy.

The 8 a.m.-noon event at Albany State University’s West Campus, with the theme “Hear Her Roar,” will this year feature a live broadcast on local radio station V101.7 with a DJ.

“The participants will be able to tune in and get all of the breast cancer education and other women’s wellness information as well,” Keisa Mansfield, manager of clinical research at Phoebe, said. “Even after they leave they can still listen to the live remote.”

Attendees can stay in their car to receive goodies from volunteers in Halloween dress that includes T-shirts and a bag of fresh produce from Flint River Fresh as well as a flu vaccination. In addition to Flint River Fresh, Phoebe’s partners for the effort include Peach State Health and Albany State.

This will be the second year the women’s health fair will be a drive-thru event due to COVID. Last year’s fair brought 315 women, and organizers are hoping for a similar turnout on Saturday.

“It’s going to be really fun,” Mansfield said. “I know the volunteers always have a good time. They love doing it.”

For Richardson, the message is for women to care for themselves by doing monthly checks for lumps and having regular exams. Catching breast cancer early improves women’s chances of survival and can lessen the severity of the treatment regimen.

“I think that’s the important thing to me,” she said. “There are so many women, especially in health care, who put off things to care for others. There are so many women who put off their mammograms. This is something we have to do.

“The earlier the diagnosis, the better outcome you will have and the treatment will be better for you.”